The devaluation of rupee has increased the demand for Indian cotton in international markets according to cotton exporters. The phenomenon will also ensure that farmers in cotton intensive places like erstwhile unified Adilabad district get a good price for their produce this season, said Adilabad based exporter Deepak Birolia.
“The depreciating rupee has made cotton prices favourable for export and countries like China are already actively purchasing the produce. The current price for a candy is between ₹ 45,000 and ₹ 46,000 which makes it feasible for purchasers at local market yards even in erstwhile Adilabad to pay the farmers above the minimum support price of ₹ 5,450 per quintal,” Mr. Birolia affirmed.
“As rupee has fallen to ₹ 74 a dollar from ₹ 64 in March this year, purchasers will pay more to farmers,” the exporter opined. “Similarly, foreign importers will be required to pay less in dollars,” he explained.
Trading in cotton is slated to start in Adilabad Agriculture Market, the largest in erstwhile Adilabad, on October 17 and will start elsewhere after Dasara festival.
Arrival time
“The total arrival during the season will be 23 lakh quintals in Adilabad district, 18 lakh quintals in Kumram Bheem Asifabad and 12 lakh quintals each in Mancherial and Nirmal district,” estimated Adilabad District Manager (Marketing) T. Srinivas.
The farmers will also face less of problem this season arising out of the implementation of the purchase parameters of moisture content in cotton. “In order to ensure transparency and stop farmers from getting cheated, we are forming committees comprising of one farmer representative and two officials of the market committee concerned,” disclosed Collector D. Divya of the measures being initiated towards smooth trading.
Committees formed
“Instead of the old practice of assessing the moisture in the produce while it is laden on the vehicle, the produce will be put in a tub for checking the wetness. As it will be done in the presence of the committee there would be no scope for alleging malpractice,” she explained.
The district administration has also readied about 15,000 pieces of tarpaulin to be distributed among farmers. The farmers can spread their produce for drying out which will lessen the moisture content drastically thereby improving the quality of the produce.
The current state of cotton and other crops in old Adilabad is quite healthy as there was less of pestilence thanks to the weather during the season. The only thing that is worrying the farmers is the yield of the crop which is likely to drop by a quintal or two in the final analysis.
“A good number of farmers will have the yield below 6 quintals per acre,” predicted cotton farmer Sama Dharma Reddy of Rampur in Adilabad Rural mandal as he weighed in his mind the fluctuation in weather earlier in the season. “But, if the price remains firm for the entire season then the loss to farmers will get compensated,” he hoped.
